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Sam Capra #6
Traitor's Dance
From New York Times bestselling author Jeff Abbott, an exciting thriller in which undercover agent Sam Capra must capture the last American traitor.
Sam Capra and his thirteen-year-old son, Daniel, are living a quiet life in Austin, Texas, where Sam continues to run his collection of bars and nightclubs around the world. He's had no recent contact with his former partner, Mila, and is working for America's most secret espionage agency, known as Section K—all while trying to be a good suburban dad.
Suddenly, Sam is approached by a fellow spy with an incredible Markus Bolt is missing. Bolt is the last American traitor, who had turned over allied agent names and military secrets to the Russians. He fled to Moscow when he was discovered, but now a trusted source inside Russia tells Section K that Markus Bolt has vanished from Moscow—and the Americans need to find him before the Russians do.
Sam is charged with making contact with Bolt's abandoned American daughter, Amanda, and determining if she's had any contact with her father. He must discover the reason behind Bolt's unexpected run and protect Amanda from the killers hunting her father.
But as Sam's search for Bolt grows more dangerous, Sam faces a rising threat born of long‑ago secrets—one that could change his and his son's lives forever.
Sam Capra and his thirteen-year-old son, Daniel, are living a quiet life in Austin, Texas, where Sam continues to run his collection of bars and nightclubs around the world. He's had no recent contact with his former partner, Mila, and is working for America's most secret espionage agency, known as Section K—all while trying to be a good suburban dad.
Suddenly, Sam is approached by a fellow spy with an incredible Markus Bolt is missing. Bolt is the last American traitor, who had turned over allied agent names and military secrets to the Russians. He fled to Moscow when he was discovered, but now a trusted source inside Russia tells Section K that Markus Bolt has vanished from Moscow—and the Americans need to find him before the Russians do.
Sam is charged with making contact with Bolt's abandoned American daughter, Amanda, and determining if she's had any contact with her father. He must discover the reason behind Bolt's unexpected run and protect Amanda from the killers hunting her father.
But as Sam's search for Bolt grows more dangerous, Sam faces a rising threat born of long‑ago secrets—one that could change his and his son's lives forever.
435 pages, Hardcover
First published August 23, 2022
105 people are currently reading
3396 people want to read
About the author
Jeff Abbott
53 books1,233 followersJeff Abbott (born 1963) is a U.S. suspense novelist. He has a degree in History and English from Rice University. He lives in Austin, Texas. His early novels were traditional detective fiction but in recent years he has turned to writing thriller fiction. A theme of his work is the idea of ordinary people caught up in extraordinary danger and fighting to return to their normal lives. His novels are published in several countries and have also been bestsellers in the United Kingdom, Australia, Ireland, and France.
Series:
* Whit Mosley
* Jordan Poteet
Series:
* Whit Mosley
* Jordan Poteet
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 121 reviews
September 8, 2022
A convoluted and disappointing story that tries to end positively, but falls short. 3 of 10 stars
January 23, 2023
Bored to tears at 106 pages = time to move on....
1 Suckness Inducing Star
1 Suckness Inducing Star
July 22, 2022
This is first book I have read by this author. Found it to be a very fast pace and interesting. I have never read a book about espionage before so found my heart pounding wondering what was going to happen next.
April 11, 2023
Initially I had high hopes and joyious thanks that author, Jeff Abbott finally submitted to resurrect the "Sam Capra"series which began with "Adrenaline" in 2010 thru 2022 and which unfortunaly ended (for me) with his latest, "Traitors Dance".
I was a huge fan of the "super spy" in his follow ups of the Capra series which included -Downfall and The First Order.
Traitors Dance starts out after a 10 year period in which Sam's son is now approx 15 years old and at an age of questions about his deceased mother etc., with Sam still involved in Section 8, and owning a series of bars throughout of which he is a "fixer" and or super duper SPY!
Unfortunatly, the book was a HUGE disappointment for me ,laced with an over abundance of characters--and most with Russian names making the book difficult and confusing in its own right to this reader besides being boring and slow in action from earlier books .
Needless to say, the super hero, Sam Capra, must have aged, disappeared, or changed his ways!
R.I.P. super hero, Sam Capra...
I was a huge fan of the "super spy" in his follow ups of the Capra series which included -Downfall and The First Order.
Traitors Dance starts out after a 10 year period in which Sam's son is now approx 15 years old and at an age of questions about his deceased mother etc., with Sam still involved in Section 8, and owning a series of bars throughout of which he is a "fixer" and or super duper SPY!
Unfortunatly, the book was a HUGE disappointment for me ,laced with an over abundance of characters--and most with Russian names making the book difficult and confusing in its own right to this reader besides being boring and slow in action from earlier books .
Needless to say, the super hero, Sam Capra, must have aged, disappeared, or changed his ways!
R.I.P. super hero, Sam Capra...
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 31, 2022
Thrilled that Sam Carpa is back after a five year absence!! Jeff Abbott is one of the best authors around when it comes to writing about espionage and the Sam Carpa series one of the best series around. Abbott’s writing is so clean…no on-going descriptions, idle chit-chat or filler paragraphs. It’s like every page counts. Please let’s not have another a five lapse to keep this series alive! Highly recommend books in this series.
August 23, 2022
Sam Capra appears to be an all american Dad, but he has a secret life. He is tasked with tracking a man who betrayed his country which resulted in lost lives after he defects to Russia. Sam’s mission threatens to reveal secrets he has been keeping to protect his son. You have to pay attention in this book, there are lots of characters to keep track of and there is a lot going on. The story is action packed with suspense, murder, mystery and betrayal. The book is part of a series and I might have benefited from reading the previous books to better understand the history of the characters but it could be read as a stand alone. Thank you to net galley for an advanced readers copy.
August 31, 2022
Jeff Abbott always keeps us guessing and intrigued. This book doesn’t disappoint. A thriller bigger than the state of Texas and an ending to make us want the next book ASAP. Who doesn’t love the author, Sam and his son? ❤️
October 3, 2022
I felt like too much time passed between #5 and #6. It was hard to get back into the characters lives, since he aged them 10 years. The book was way too long and convoluted as well.
December 30, 2022
I found this an interesting read. Things moved along at a good pace. Had a little trouble figuring how everyone was related but all in all the story kept me guessing. Need to try more Jeff Abbit.
August 30, 2022
Book Review…Traitor's Dance by Jeff Abbott
This is the sixth book in the Sam Capra series and the first one I have read in this series and it was a fast paced adventure with some good twists!
We follow Sam Capra who was living a quiet life in Austin, Texas, with his thirteen year old son until he was approached by a fellow spy with a revelation: Markus Bolt is missing. Bolt is the traitor, who had turned over agent names and military secrets to the Russians and fled to Moscow when he was discovered, but now he has vanished from Moscow. Sam must find him before the Russians do. But as Sam's search for Bolt grows more dangerous, Sam faces a threat from long‑ago secrets one that could change his and his son's lives forever.
The action starts from the very beginning and continues throughout the whole book! There are a few different characters Sam and Daniel were great characters to follow! Each chapter is told from one of their points of view which normally I would say that's a lot to keep track of but it worked for this book. The book was great as a standalone but there are some things that I wish I knew more about but that's ok too I'll just have to read the other books before the next book! Nice read! Thank you Grand Central Pub for sharing this book with me!
This is the sixth book in the Sam Capra series and the first one I have read in this series and it was a fast paced adventure with some good twists!
We follow Sam Capra who was living a quiet life in Austin, Texas, with his thirteen year old son until he was approached by a fellow spy with a revelation: Markus Bolt is missing. Bolt is the traitor, who had turned over agent names and military secrets to the Russians and fled to Moscow when he was discovered, but now he has vanished from Moscow. Sam must find him before the Russians do. But as Sam's search for Bolt grows more dangerous, Sam faces a threat from long‑ago secrets one that could change his and his son's lives forever.
The action starts from the very beginning and continues throughout the whole book! There are a few different characters Sam and Daniel were great characters to follow! Each chapter is told from one of their points of view which normally I would say that's a lot to keep track of but it worked for this book. The book was great as a standalone but there are some things that I wish I knew more about but that's ok too I'll just have to read the other books before the next book! Nice read! Thank you Grand Central Pub for sharing this book with me!
September 25, 2024
Simplesmente excecional. Impossível parar de ler e perceber a dança da traição dentro dos serviços de espionagem. Esta aventura se Sam e Daniel é incrível.
Por fim., o livro que eu gostava de ver adaptado ao cinema.
Por fim., o livro que eu gostava de ver adaptado ao cinema.
January 12, 2023
I liked how quick the story moved along
December 30, 2023
Adorei o regresso do Sam Capra
July 18, 2022
Traitor's Dance is the first I have read of the Sam Capra series, and it is the perfect spot to jump in if you haven't read them before!
It is expertly plotted and written, fast paced, with a couple of heart in the throat moments, and am ending that left me desperate to read Abbott's next instalment.
If you haven't read the series before, I highly recommend picking it up and starting with this one.
It is expertly plotted and written, fast paced, with a couple of heart in the throat moments, and am ending that left me desperate to read Abbott's next instalment.
If you haven't read the series before, I highly recommend picking it up and starting with this one.
October 8, 2022
Sam Capra returns in Jeff Abbott's latest thriller, Traitor's Dance. Sam is living a quiet life in Texas with his son, Daniel, when the shadowy government branch he works for pulls him into a case involving one of America's greatest traitors, Markus Bolt. Bolt had defected to Russia along with a list of names of spies for America and its allies. Now he has disappeared and the race is on to find him.
Sam is tasked with contacting his daughter, Amanda, in Florida to see if he shows up there or has reached out to her. Russian agents are also in pursuit as both sides try to discover the reason for his disappearance and to prevent the other side from reaching him at any cost. Meanwhile, Daniel is asking questions about his dead mother that Sam is having increasing difficulty answering and Sam's forced absence isn't helping.
Abbot creates an exciting and tense atmosphere filled with colorful characters. Not only is there a thrilling pursuit, but there is the mystery of why Bolt chose now to flee Russia. Different players with different agendas add to the confusion and keep raising the stakes. The subplot with Daniel is a little light with him being too naive and gullible making his choices more eye-rolling than concerning. Abbott adds plenty of action as events circle closer and closer together with plenty of thrilling fights and chase scenes. Capra is a fun and capable character and the end result is a book with plenty of thrills!
Sam is tasked with contacting his daughter, Amanda, in Florida to see if he shows up there or has reached out to her. Russian agents are also in pursuit as both sides try to discover the reason for his disappearance and to prevent the other side from reaching him at any cost. Meanwhile, Daniel is asking questions about his dead mother that Sam is having increasing difficulty answering and Sam's forced absence isn't helping.
Abbot creates an exciting and tense atmosphere filled with colorful characters. Not only is there a thrilling pursuit, but there is the mystery of why Bolt chose now to flee Russia. Different players with different agendas add to the confusion and keep raising the stakes. The subplot with Daniel is a little light with him being too naive and gullible making his choices more eye-rolling than concerning. Abbott adds plenty of action as events circle closer and closer together with plenty of thrilling fights and chase scenes. Capra is a fun and capable character and the end result is a book with plenty of thrills!
September 18, 2022
He's baaaaack!
Five years was awfully long to wait for another installation of Sam Capra's world--long enough that I felt, at times, I should have reread the last couple of books to remind myself of where the story ended.
I enjoyed this book just as much as I enjoyed the others. Sam's world may be unrealistic, but I accept that. I accept that he seems pretty much immortal as he escapes punches, gunshots, Russians, rogue agents, and unhealthy relationships. But that's OK because he lives for another book.
What I liked best about this book was the directional change introduced by having Daniel be a central character. Suddenly, Sam's world can't be just all about bad guys doing bad things but about how he has to navigate two worlds when his son is old enough to question his absences and Sam has to evaluate his own actions more closely. I don't necessarily agree with his decisions re: Daniel and Lucy (no spoilers...), but since when was fiction meant to mirror how we would behave?!
Hopefully, we won't wait five more years for another installment. And if the last sentence is any indication, the story line is ready to explode!
Thanks to Grand Central Publishing and Goodreads for the giveaway! It's your fault I've lost sleep time this week!
Five years was awfully long to wait for another installation of Sam Capra's world--long enough that I felt, at times, I should have reread the last couple of books to remind myself of where the story ended.
I enjoyed this book just as much as I enjoyed the others. Sam's world may be unrealistic, but I accept that. I accept that he seems pretty much immortal as he escapes punches, gunshots, Russians, rogue agents, and unhealthy relationships. But that's OK because he lives for another book.
What I liked best about this book was the directional change introduced by having Daniel be a central character. Suddenly, Sam's world can't be just all about bad guys doing bad things but about how he has to navigate two worlds when his son is old enough to question his absences and Sam has to evaluate his own actions more closely. I don't necessarily agree with his decisions re: Daniel and Lucy (no spoilers...), but since when was fiction meant to mirror how we would behave?!
Hopefully, we won't wait five more years for another installment. And if the last sentence is any indication, the story line is ready to explode!
Thanks to Grand Central Publishing and Goodreads for the giveaway! It's your fault I've lost sleep time this week!
December 17, 2022
Thank you to Goodreads for this copy! This is my first Sam Capra book so I wasn’t sure what to expect or if I needed to read in order. I don’t feel after reading that I needed to have read the others. This is a story of Russians, CIA, other agencies and espionage. Not things I am familiar with so at times I was confused. There were a couple characters switching names frequently that was also confusing! The whole premise is a known American traitor shares all his secrets with Russians and flees to Russia. Leaving behind a wife, son and daughter. He establishes himself in Russia only to then return years later to America again….. like make up your mind?!? Sam Capra is on the cade along with all kinds of other characters. Overall I did enjoy it but could have done with less pages, less characters. There is however a cliffhanger at the end that may make me read the next one.
January 1, 2023
Thank you NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for the copy of Traitor’s Dance. When I first started this book I was captivated by the writing. Sam and Daniel were shaping up to be great characters and the story was off with a bang! I think if I had known this was book six in a series and I had read the previous books the number of characters would have been less daunting. As the book went on, I kept getting confused about who was who because there were so many different relationships between the characters, many of which went back for years. It makes me want to read the previous books to understand all of the backstories, but it did make for some confusing moments in reading. I liked the parts focusing on Daniel and his quest for information about his mother best. I liked his relationships because they felt plausible.
September 17, 2022
Wow, what a story. It's been awhile since I read a Sam Capra book and I haven't been faithful to the series. This book started off plainly...special agent/operative who works for a shadowy government entity is called to track down a traitor. Gee, this never happened before. But then things start to get disturbing and pretty soon the author has you peering around every corner wondering what the hell is coming up next. It's very well done as he keeps winding up the tension...best of all, he doesn't do the expected.
Librarians, highly recommended for your male readers. Yes it's a series, but it's fine as a standalone book
Librarians, highly recommended for your male readers. Yes it's a series, but it's fine as a standalone book
September 15, 2022
I liked all the Sam Capra novels and was really looking forward to this one. Unfortunately I was disappointed. In my opinion the story was weak and couldn’t support the book duration. It was light on action compared to previous books in the series. In the end the book had a few interesting twists, so just wish it was more entertaining throughout.
September 13, 2022
The characters are ok. Sam is a lesser protagonist than some. The real problem with this thriller is that it is 100 pages too long. So for more of the series, only if I don’t have another thriller to enjoy.
January 13, 2023
Would have been a four star review but it had too many moving parts and viewpoints from too many characters. It slowed the pace too much. All in all I’m glad the Sam Capra character is back and looking forward to future novels.
August 27, 2022
I have always referred to Jeff Abbott as being the King of High Octane thriller writing and that has never more evident than with his terrific Sam Capra series. TRAITOR’S DANCE is the latest release in the Sam Capra saga and it truly lives up to this hype.
In this novel, the suspense is ramped up instantly on the very first line when Sam Capra thinks he notices an assassin entering his son Daniel’s Middle School basketball game. It is difficult for Sam to focus on his star-player son in the final minutes of a close game and maintain watch on the dangerous stranger who he knows he must stop and take down. Sam also knows he must take him down secretly because if anyone at the school notices it will mean that he and Daniel will have to uproot and leave their home in Austin, TX, where they are both so happy.
When Sam gets face to face with the intruder he realizes he recognizes him. The man indicates he is not there to harm anyone but to pass on an assignment from Section K that could only be communicated in this manner. The former assassin then complimented his son’s game and left. When Sam gets an opportunity to he reaches out to an old colleague at Section K to learn that his next assignment involved reeling in one Markus Bolt, an American traitor who had defected over to Russia. Apparently, he may now be on the run back to the U.S. and his daughter Amanda lived in Miami where Sam operated one of his many international bars. Thus, Sam was explaining to Daniel that he needed to stay with his old sitter Leonie and her new family while he flew to Miami to take care of some bar business.
Sam’s job is to maintain surveillance on Amanda or her mother, Karen, either of whom might be quickly visited on by the fleeing Markus. Meanwhile, back in Austin, Daniel has been getting more and more curious about his later mother. He learns that her local grave is an empty one and that her ashes were dumped elsewhere via a cryptic note left for him at school. Daniel also feels that his father has never told him the entire story regarding her death. He gets Leonie to drive him to the grave to pay his respects, but still no answers.
Daniel gets another message and finds that the sender is a mysterious woman who he eventually meets in person. She makes plans to meet with him after school one day, claiming to have information on his mother. If only Sam were able to tell his son that her mother, Lucy, had turned traitor and bombed their own office, leaving him framed for her crime.
Sam, meanwhile, has not only found Amanda --- only to lose her shortly thereafter, but also connected with her mother Karen Bolt. He lets Karen in on the mission for Section K and let’s her know he is a fixer. Knowing they are all on the same team makes for a better partnership as they are both looking for Amanda now with eyes open for Markus, Back in Austin, Daniel meets with the woman who he learns is his Aunt Clarice on his mother’s side. She shares some details about his mother and then later on introduces him to his Uncle Mark. Aunt Clarice and Uncle Mark suggest that they travel directly to Miami to confront his father Sam to get the truth about his mother and that they have a private jet for the occasion. However, Uncle ‘Mark’ isn’t who he claims to be and this is all the set-up for a big show down in Miami with Sam Capra and his little crew down there with the children --- Daniel and Amanda --- being placed in the middle of the danger. A great story with unexpected twists and non-stop thrills, I expected nothing less!
Reviewed by Ray Palen for Book Reporter
In this novel, the suspense is ramped up instantly on the very first line when Sam Capra thinks he notices an assassin entering his son Daniel’s Middle School basketball game. It is difficult for Sam to focus on his star-player son in the final minutes of a close game and maintain watch on the dangerous stranger who he knows he must stop and take down. Sam also knows he must take him down secretly because if anyone at the school notices it will mean that he and Daniel will have to uproot and leave their home in Austin, TX, where they are both so happy.
When Sam gets face to face with the intruder he realizes he recognizes him. The man indicates he is not there to harm anyone but to pass on an assignment from Section K that could only be communicated in this manner. The former assassin then complimented his son’s game and left. When Sam gets an opportunity to he reaches out to an old colleague at Section K to learn that his next assignment involved reeling in one Markus Bolt, an American traitor who had defected over to Russia. Apparently, he may now be on the run back to the U.S. and his daughter Amanda lived in Miami where Sam operated one of his many international bars. Thus, Sam was explaining to Daniel that he needed to stay with his old sitter Leonie and her new family while he flew to Miami to take care of some bar business.
Sam’s job is to maintain surveillance on Amanda or her mother, Karen, either of whom might be quickly visited on by the fleeing Markus. Meanwhile, back in Austin, Daniel has been getting more and more curious about his later mother. He learns that her local grave is an empty one and that her ashes were dumped elsewhere via a cryptic note left for him at school. Daniel also feels that his father has never told him the entire story regarding her death. He gets Leonie to drive him to the grave to pay his respects, but still no answers.
Daniel gets another message and finds that the sender is a mysterious woman who he eventually meets in person. She makes plans to meet with him after school one day, claiming to have information on his mother. If only Sam were able to tell his son that her mother, Lucy, had turned traitor and bombed their own office, leaving him framed for her crime.
Sam, meanwhile, has not only found Amanda --- only to lose her shortly thereafter, but also connected with her mother Karen Bolt. He lets Karen in on the mission for Section K and let’s her know he is a fixer. Knowing they are all on the same team makes for a better partnership as they are both looking for Amanda now with eyes open for Markus, Back in Austin, Daniel meets with the woman who he learns is his Aunt Clarice on his mother’s side. She shares some details about his mother and then later on introduces him to his Uncle Mark. Aunt Clarice and Uncle Mark suggest that they travel directly to Miami to confront his father Sam to get the truth about his mother and that they have a private jet for the occasion. However, Uncle ‘Mark’ isn’t who he claims to be and this is all the set-up for a big show down in Miami with Sam Capra and his little crew down there with the children --- Daniel and Amanda --- being placed in the middle of the danger. A great story with unexpected twists and non-stop thrills, I expected nothing less!
Reviewed by Ray Palen for Book Reporter
August 28, 2022
I have always thought of Jeff Abbott as “the King of High Octane Thriller Writing,” and that has never been more evident than with his terrific Sam Capra series. The latest installment, TRAITOR’S DANCE, truly lives up to this hype.
The suspense is ramped up instantly when Sam Capra thinks he notices an assassin entering his son Daniel’s middle school basketball game. It’s difficult for Sam to focus on his star player son in the final minutes of a close game while also keeping his eye on the dangerous stranger who he knows he must stop and take down. But he has to do so secretly; if anyone at the school gets wind of what’s happening, it will mean that he and Daniel will have to uproot and leave their home in Austin, Texas, where they are both so happy.
When Sam comes face to face with the intruder, he realizes that he recognizes him. The man indicates that he is not there to harm anyone; he merely wants to pass on an assignment from Section K that could only be communicated in this manner. When the time is right, Sam reaches out to an old colleague at Section K. His next assignment involves reeling in Markus Bolt, an American traitor who had defected over to Russia. Apparently, he may now be on the run back to the U.S. His daughter, Amanda, lives in Miami, where Sam operates one of his many international bars.
Daniel is told that he will be staying with his old sitter, Leonie, and her new family while his dad flies to Miami to take care of some bar business. Sam’s job is to maintain surveillance on Amanda and her mother, Karen, either of whom may encounter a fleeing Markus.
Back in Austin, Daniel has been getting increasingly curious about his late mother, Lucy. He learns that her grave is an empty one and that her ashes were dumped elsewhere via a cryptic note left for him at school. He feels that his father has never told him the entire story regarding her death. So he convinces Leonie to drive him to the grave to pay his respects, but still he has no answers.
Daniel receives another message and finds out that the sender is a woman who claims to have information about his mother. If only Sam were able to tell him that Lucy had turned into a traitor and bombed their own office, framing him for her crime.
Meanwhile, not only has Sam found Amanda --- only to lose her shortly thereafter --- he has connected with Karen. He lets Karen in on the mission for Section K and informs her that he is a fixer. Knowing that they are all on the same team makes for a better partnership as they look for Amanda with their eyes open for Markus.
Daniel meets the mystery woman, who turns out to be his Aunt Clarice on his mother’s side. She shares some details about his mother and then later introduces him to his Uncle Mark. His aunt and uncle suggest that they all travel to Miami to confront Sam and discover the truth about his mother. What follows is a major showdown involving Sam and his crew, with Daniel and Amanda being placed in the middle of danger.
TRAITOR’S DANCE is a great story with shocking twists and non-stop thrills. I expect nothing less from Jeff Abbott, who continues to blow me away with his unputdownable thrillers.
Reviewed by Ray Palen
The suspense is ramped up instantly when Sam Capra thinks he notices an assassin entering his son Daniel’s middle school basketball game. It’s difficult for Sam to focus on his star player son in the final minutes of a close game while also keeping his eye on the dangerous stranger who he knows he must stop and take down. But he has to do so secretly; if anyone at the school gets wind of what’s happening, it will mean that he and Daniel will have to uproot and leave their home in Austin, Texas, where they are both so happy.
When Sam comes face to face with the intruder, he realizes that he recognizes him. The man indicates that he is not there to harm anyone; he merely wants to pass on an assignment from Section K that could only be communicated in this manner. When the time is right, Sam reaches out to an old colleague at Section K. His next assignment involves reeling in Markus Bolt, an American traitor who had defected over to Russia. Apparently, he may now be on the run back to the U.S. His daughter, Amanda, lives in Miami, where Sam operates one of his many international bars.
Daniel is told that he will be staying with his old sitter, Leonie, and her new family while his dad flies to Miami to take care of some bar business. Sam’s job is to maintain surveillance on Amanda and her mother, Karen, either of whom may encounter a fleeing Markus.
Back in Austin, Daniel has been getting increasingly curious about his late mother, Lucy. He learns that her grave is an empty one and that her ashes were dumped elsewhere via a cryptic note left for him at school. He feels that his father has never told him the entire story regarding her death. So he convinces Leonie to drive him to the grave to pay his respects, but still he has no answers.
Daniel receives another message and finds out that the sender is a woman who claims to have information about his mother. If only Sam were able to tell him that Lucy had turned into a traitor and bombed their own office, framing him for her crime.
Meanwhile, not only has Sam found Amanda --- only to lose her shortly thereafter --- he has connected with Karen. He lets Karen in on the mission for Section K and informs her that he is a fixer. Knowing that they are all on the same team makes for a better partnership as they look for Amanda with their eyes open for Markus.
Daniel meets the mystery woman, who turns out to be his Aunt Clarice on his mother’s side. She shares some details about his mother and then later introduces him to his Uncle Mark. His aunt and uncle suggest that they all travel to Miami to confront Sam and discover the truth about his mother. What follows is a major showdown involving Sam and his crew, with Daniel and Amanda being placed in the middle of danger.
TRAITOR’S DANCE is a great story with shocking twists and non-stop thrills. I expect nothing less from Jeff Abbott, who continues to blow me away with his unputdownable thrillers.
Reviewed by Ray Palen
August 17, 2022
***I received an ARC from Net Galley in exchange for my honest review
In book six of the Sam Capra series, Sam is approached by a fellow spy and is given a mission: Marcus Bolt, who was once a spy for the U.S. in Russia and then turned traitor, is now missing. He had been hiding out in Moscow, and it is believed he is headed to Miami to see his daughter, Amanda. As Sam heads down there, using the cover of having to check on one of the bars he owns that is having problems, the Russians are also converging on Miami, eager to get to Bolt and return him to Russia. It is a race to see who can find Bolt first, and bring him in. Meanwhile, Sam's teenage son Daniel starts receiving cryptic messages about Daniel's long-dead mother, hinting that Sam has been keeping secrets from Daniel.
This book was SO good. It was non-stop action from start to finish. I did not want to put it down. I will say, it took me until about a third of the way through before I was able to keep all of the names and backstories straight. There were so many characters and most of them had multiple names that they went by, given name, various aliases, etc. I will admit that this is the first book that I have read in this series, so if I had read the previous books, some of those characters may have been in those books as well, so I would have already been familiar with them. That said, I was still able to catch on, it just took me a little bit. I definitely want to go back and read the previous books now, though. I love how the different chapters were told in the viewpoints of the different characters. I always enjoy that, because it gives the story a well-rounded feel to it, and I think it makes it feel more immersive. I love that the ending left it on a cliffhanger, so that I am already anxiously awaiting the next book in the series. If you enjoy a good spy thriller, or just a good thriller in general, then I highly recommend you check this one out!
In book six of the Sam Capra series, Sam is approached by a fellow spy and is given a mission: Marcus Bolt, who was once a spy for the U.S. in Russia and then turned traitor, is now missing. He had been hiding out in Moscow, and it is believed he is headed to Miami to see his daughter, Amanda. As Sam heads down there, using the cover of having to check on one of the bars he owns that is having problems, the Russians are also converging on Miami, eager to get to Bolt and return him to Russia. It is a race to see who can find Bolt first, and bring him in. Meanwhile, Sam's teenage son Daniel starts receiving cryptic messages about Daniel's long-dead mother, hinting that Sam has been keeping secrets from Daniel.
This book was SO good. It was non-stop action from start to finish. I did not want to put it down. I will say, it took me until about a third of the way through before I was able to keep all of the names and backstories straight. There were so many characters and most of them had multiple names that they went by, given name, various aliases, etc. I will admit that this is the first book that I have read in this series, so if I had read the previous books, some of those characters may have been in those books as well, so I would have already been familiar with them. That said, I was still able to catch on, it just took me a little bit. I definitely want to go back and read the previous books now, though. I love how the different chapters were told in the viewpoints of the different characters. I always enjoy that, because it gives the story a well-rounded feel to it, and I think it makes it feel more immersive. I love that the ending left it on a cliffhanger, so that I am already anxiously awaiting the next book in the series. If you enjoy a good spy thriller, or just a good thriller in general, then I highly recommend you check this one out!
August 19, 2022
In Traitor's Dance, Jeff Abbott brings back Sam Capra, though it's been ten years since the events of the last book.
"Sam works for a secret espionag agency called Section K. He is living in Austin, TX with his 13-year-old son, Daniel and just trying to be the best suburban dad. Sam is approached by a fellow spy with news that a former agent, Markus Bolt, is missing from Russia, where he defected after betraying the US. It looks like he's headed back to the US to see his family. Sam's job is to catch Bolt and bring him in - without letting anyone else know what's going on. Just a simple pickup..."
This is going to be one of my favorite books this year. It's fun when an author makes up their own agency. (Section K) It gives them the ability to do whatever they want. Sam is up against the Russians who want Bolt back as well as rival intelligence agents. Plus Bolt knows how to stay hidden.
There's a lot of action in these pages and some surprising twists. Everyone is not who you think they are. Abbott does a nice job of not veering into Russian bad-guy stereotypes.
Would have liked to see more emotion and inflection from the audiobook narrator. I've been spoiled by the many great audiobook performances this year. This feels more like it's being read to you. It's unfortunate because this is a great story from Abbott.
This is part of a series, but can be read as a stand-alone. But now I need to go back and read the others. Abbott has a great fast-paced writing style. This is an excellent action-thriller.
"Sam works for a secret espionag agency called Section K. He is living in Austin, TX with his 13-year-old son, Daniel and just trying to be the best suburban dad. Sam is approached by a fellow spy with news that a former agent, Markus Bolt, is missing from Russia, where he defected after betraying the US. It looks like he's headed back to the US to see his family. Sam's job is to catch Bolt and bring him in - without letting anyone else know what's going on. Just a simple pickup..."
This is going to be one of my favorite books this year. It's fun when an author makes up their own agency. (Section K) It gives them the ability to do whatever they want. Sam is up against the Russians who want Bolt back as well as rival intelligence agents. Plus Bolt knows how to stay hidden.
There's a lot of action in these pages and some surprising twists. Everyone is not who you think they are. Abbott does a nice job of not veering into Russian bad-guy stereotypes.
Would have liked to see more emotion and inflection from the audiobook narrator. I've been spoiled by the many great audiobook performances this year. This feels more like it's being read to you. It's unfortunate because this is a great story from Abbott.
This is part of a series, but can be read as a stand-alone. But now I need to go back and read the others. Abbott has a great fast-paced writing style. This is an excellent action-thriller.
October 16, 2023
TRAITOR'S DANCE is the 6th Sam Capra novel and is the most involved one yet. It is, basically, 2 stories in one: (1) the desire of the US, the British, and the Russians to find and recapture American traitor Marcus Bolt, who has disappeared from Russia, where he had lived and worked for many years; and (2) the moving story of Daniel Capra (Sam's teen-age son) and his harrowing experiences, while learning about his Dad's real job. The large list of characters (family members, the many spies from different countries) is fairly difficult to keep straight. (Who is a spy, who isn't; who is a relative of whom; and who are really members of Sam's family who aren't really spies). Confusing? Yes, at least to this reader! The very large cast of characters (Sam Capra, Daniel Capra (Sam's Son), Matt (Daniel's best friend, Cortez (who is also known as Greg Hollister and Grayson, Marcus Bolt, Amanda, Karen, Mila, Aunt Clarice, Gandy, Marianne, Illya, Paige, Bobo and Duderov, Uncle Mark, Val, Woodruff, and a few more! As Cortez says on page 385: "Oh, my...this is a lot to take in."
What did stand out in my mind was the relationship of Sam and Daniel throughout and the secrets Sam had to keep from his Son.
It will take reading all 433 pages in order to figure this all out....or maybe not! Even the question of "who is or was Sam's wife?" is a part of this novel.
The question of whether TRAITOR'S DANCE is an enjoyable read most obviously is a decision of each reader. If you can figure out the real role of each character in the novel, it is, then, an exciting read.
What did stand out in my mind was the relationship of Sam and Daniel throughout and the secrets Sam had to keep from his Son.
It will take reading all 433 pages in order to figure this all out....or maybe not! Even the question of "who is or was Sam's wife?" is a part of this novel.
The question of whether TRAITOR'S DANCE is an enjoyable read most obviously is a decision of each reader. If you can figure out the real role of each character in the novel, it is, then, an exciting read.
April 17, 2025
A bit of an odd combination of parenting story and spy tale. Capra, an ex-CIA agent, works for another shadowy US counter-intelligence agency called 'Section K', which appears to be independent of either the CIA or FBI. His usual role consists of posing as the owner of a number of bars dispersed around the world, which actually serve as contact points for intelligence activities, but he is set a task of capturing a defected CIA agent who has now disappeared from Russia and might be back in the USA. However he is struggling to combine this with being the single father of an intelligent 13 year old boy who is becoming increasingly good at spotting the weak points in his father's cover stories. For one thing he, probably like the reader, realises how implausible his father's business model sounds.
I wondered whether Abbott chose the name 'Section K' as a reference to the real 'K section' once run by the late MI5 officer Maxwell Knight while he was infiltrating the British Union of Fascists, but it is probably a coincidence.
The plot becomes convoluted with various interactions between Capra's professional and family backgrounds (ones which would be foreseen by any real intelligence agency, which would not have chosen that agent for that mission) leading to a series of picture-changing revelations. The authorcraft is good. Overall not a bad read at all, although Abbott is not the next Forsyth.
I wondered whether Abbott chose the name 'Section K' as a reference to the real 'K section' once run by the late MI5 officer Maxwell Knight while he was infiltrating the British Union of Fascists, but it is probably a coincidence.
The plot becomes convoluted with various interactions between Capra's professional and family backgrounds (ones which would be foreseen by any real intelligence agency, which would not have chosen that agent for that mission) leading to a series of picture-changing revelations. The authorcraft is good. Overall not a bad read at all, although Abbott is not the next Forsyth.
August 11, 2022
In Traitor's Dance, Jeff Abbott brings back Sam Capra, though it's been ten years since the events of the last book.
"Sam works for a secret espionag agency called Section K. He is living in Austin, TX with his 13-year-old son, Daniel and just trying to be the best suburban dad. Sam is approached by a fellow spy with news that a former agent, Markus Bolt, is missing from Russia, where he defected after betraying the US. It looks like he's headed back to the US to see his family. Sam's job is to catch Bolt and bring him in - without letting anyone else know what's going on. Just a simple pickup..."
This is going to be one of my favorite books this year. It's fun when an author makes up their own agency. (Section K) It gives them the ability to do whatever they want. Sam is up against the Russians who want Bolt back as well as rival intelligence agents. Plus Bolt knows how to stay hidden.
There's a lot of action in these pages and some surprising twists. Everyone is not who you think they are. Aboot does a nice job of not veering into Russian bad-guy stereotypes.
This is part of a series, but can be read as a stand-alone. But now I need to go back and read the others. Abbott has a great fast-paced writing style. This is an excellent action-thriller.
"Sam works for a secret espionag agency called Section K. He is living in Austin, TX with his 13-year-old son, Daniel and just trying to be the best suburban dad. Sam is approached by a fellow spy with news that a former agent, Markus Bolt, is missing from Russia, where he defected after betraying the US. It looks like he's headed back to the US to see his family. Sam's job is to catch Bolt and bring him in - without letting anyone else know what's going on. Just a simple pickup..."
This is going to be one of my favorite books this year. It's fun when an author makes up their own agency. (Section K) It gives them the ability to do whatever they want. Sam is up against the Russians who want Bolt back as well as rival intelligence agents. Plus Bolt knows how to stay hidden.
There's a lot of action in these pages and some surprising twists. Everyone is not who you think they are. Aboot does a nice job of not veering into Russian bad-guy stereotypes.
This is part of a series, but can be read as a stand-alone. But now I need to go back and read the others. Abbott has a great fast-paced writing style. This is an excellent action-thriller.
July 3, 2022
Thank you NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for the copy of Traitor’s Dance. When I first started this book I was captivated by the writing. Sam and Daniel were shaping up to be great characters and the story was off with a bang! I think if I had known this was box six in a series and I had read the previous books the number of characters would have been less daunting. As the book went on, I kept getting confused about who was who because there were so many different relationships between the characters, many of which went back for years. It makes me want to read the previous books to understand all of the backstories, but it did make for some confusing moments in reading. I liked the parts focusing on Daniel and his quest for information about his mother best. I liked his relationships because they felt plausible. I would have liked the action scenes better if I had been clearer about the other characters. If you like action packed books you will love this one. 3.5 stars rounded up to 4.
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